Reincarnated as the Legitimate Son of a Duke Family's ~ Just Trying To Live Live My Life Normally, But Somehow I've Got a Harem?~

“…Now, what should I do?

Not to brag, but I don’t have the kind of composure to comfort a crying girl.

Well… I can only do what I can.

“Merle-san, let’s go to the tent.”

“Huh? Ah, well… we should also do our work.”

“Never mind that. Let’s start by talking, at least.”

I took Merle-san’s hand and led her into our tent.

Then, I made her sit down and prepared some tea.

“Here, start with this. I’ll have some too.”

“Oh, thank you… Ah, it’s delicious.”

“Yeah, it tastes great after some exercise.”

“…..”

Amid the commotion outside, the inside of the tent fell silent.

In situations like this, it’s better to wait patiently rather than press for answers.

Then after a while… Merle-san looked up.

“In my kingdom, I was called a coward and useless. I was always timid and couldn’t fight bravely.”

“I see…”

“In the Beastkin society, strength and bravery are highly regarded, regardless of gender. Of course, not all Beastmen have these qualities, but the royal family has a strong tendency toward them. In that context, I was told I was unworthy of being a part of the royal family.”

“That must have been tough.”

I understood her feelings. I’ve also been told not to act arrogant and to behave more like a royal because of my inherited black hair. But I never thought that mattered.

Just being part of the royal family or having black hair doesn’t give you the right to act superior.

“Indeed… But in the midst of all that, my older sister was the only one who praised me. Maybe that’s the way it is in our family, but it’s not a bad thing.”

“You have a great sister.”

“Yes, she is. So when my sister fell ill, I gathered the courage to volunteer as an exchange student. Everyone opposed it, but my sister said she had to foster relationships with humans. Even though I didn’t have a place in that family, I thought maybe I could do something.”

“In that case, you’ve done well. Merle-san, you’re kind, and you’ve changed people’s perception of the Beastkin. At least it shows that there are people like you.”

There are still those who say all sorts of negative things, but there are also more who think otherwise. It’s probably because Merle is a kind-hearted kid. It might not have gone well with other Beastkin people.

“In that case, I’m happy. Also, I’m glad that my timidity could be of use to everyone.”

“No, you’ve been a great help. You know, we’re a pretty diverse group. My little sister, Serena, and Thor, as well.”

“Yeah, everyone is lively. But the one who’s truly kind is you, Alex-kun.”

“I’m just normal. I only say what I think, and it varies depending on the person. I just want to be kind to Merle because you’re a good person.”

“Oh, thank you… Hehehe~”

With that, she finally smiled. A smiling face is better than a gloomy one.

After that, when we left the tent, the other students had returned. Some had nothing with them, while others carried corpses of the animals they hunted. Their expressions were clearly different.

“Uh, are the ones without anything going without food?”

“Well, it seems that way. It’s all part of the training.”

“Poor souls.”

“Don’t worry; they will receive a minimal supply. They’re still students, so they’re being considerate in that regard.”

“Oh, I see. But it’s a bit pitiful during this school excursion.”

“Well… for now, should we go to the two of them?”

With Merle in tow, we joined the two students working in the cooking area. There stood Serena, covered in blood in front of the Crazy Boar, and Thor was panicking beside her.

“Scary! Why are you covered in blood? Is this a crime scene?”

“W-Well, I can’t help it! I don’t know how to butcher!”

“Sorry, Alex! I’m an idiot for leaving it to her! Speaking of which, It was completely disastrous!”

“Ugh… I’ve never cooked before.”

“Wait, even though you’re covered in blood, why are you holding a knife?”

And why are you so scary when you have a knife?

Other students were watching our banter from a distance.

At that moment, Merle stood in front of Serena.

“Um, can I give it a try?”

“Huh? Um… sure.”

“In that case, excuse me…”

Merle took the knife and skillfully started dismantling the Boar. Her movements were so skillful that it was fascinating to watch.